Originally released in 2014, the debut (and only) Ponychase record Parade of Youth is getting the vinyl re-issue treatment courtesy of Girl Friday Records.

If you’re not familiar, the ten song collection is a melancholy synth pop excursion that utilizes 80’s style programmed drums, reverb-y vocals and an appropriately dramatic flair.

The album is set for re-release in late June and can be pre-ordered over on their official site. A show announcement is expected imminently.

In celebration of the new podcast we recently announced, fan/fiction w/ andrew/zach, it only feels appropriate to have a listen to this Super Sonic Fusion EP from Joshua Morse of Sonic the Hedgehog themes done in a jazz fusion style. If that’s not fan/fiction, I don’t know what is.

Morse has posted plenty of other chiptune music that we’ve reviewed here on the site and this particular EP takes a decidedly infectious upbeat turn. The original source material was already classic but this Muzak style Jazzing up makes it enjoyable in a whole new way.

Howling Giant is known for creating sprawling metal epics on their two full-length releases, Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 1 and Part 2. With titles like that, I think you know what you’re getting into and they don’t fail to deliver.

So, when they popped up on a new Magnetic Eye compilation of bands covering The Best of Pink Floyd, interest was piqued. Their contribution of “Matilda Mother” (from Pink Floyd’s 1967 debut The Piper at the Gates of Dawn) couldn’t be a more fitting redux of the song. The light pop flair of the original is traded for giant riffs and, you guessed it, sprawling epic metal goodness. It’s a nice representation of Nashville musical diversity and a helluva cover in itself.

Thanks to Metal Injection for the tip.

The debut from Faust is eight tracks of hip-hop but something about it feels decidedly un-hip-hop. Much like the early works of WHY? there’s lots of beats and samples fueling the music but there’s a talk-sing nature to the vocal delivery that draws it out of being the standard fair.

The label of “un-hip-hop” is not meant to be disparaging but rather a heads up that something more interesting is happening here than what you’d expect. A lot of rudimentary hip-hop establishes a beat and seldomly variates from that, giving focus to the lyrical delivery. These songs travese a lot of changes, some horn solos and even the occasional field recording style interludes.

Start with “Power Struggle Interlude” and let it carry you into “Cake Faced Criminal” for the best introductory experience.